News From Outdoors Forum - More Elk Permits ?

news

A record high 29,175 elk hunt permit-tags is being recommended to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, which is 4,415 more tags than last year’s record permit level. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is also recommending a total of 47,190 deer hunting permits for 2001, which is a reduction of 805 from last year and if adopted, would constitute the lowest amount of deer tags since the drawing system began. The Game and Fish Commission will be considering all the big game and small game hunt recommendations during its April 21 meeting in Phoenix at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #2 on 19th Avenue just south of Thunderbird Road (on the east side) starting at 8 a.m. For elk, the department is proposing a General Hunt Season increase of 700 permits, for a total of 15,900 permits. There are 2,120 permits recommended for “limited” general hunts. Archery permits are recommended for an increase of 1,244 permits for a total of 8,237. Muzzleloader permits could increase by 306, which would mean an offering of 1,393 permits. Juniors-Only permits are recommended for a 170-permit increase to 1,370 permits “The majority of the permit increases in standard hunt areas are in Game Management Units 1, 6A and 27,” advised Game Branch Chief Tice Supplee. Supplee explained that the increased archery permits in Game Management Units 6A and 27 required stratifying the archery hunts in those units. “The recommended stratification in 6A is two seven-day seasons within the dates of the usual 14-day September archery hunt,” she said. The recommended stratification in Unit 27 is no change to the 14-day bull hunt in September, and a split-season for the antlerless hunt into two seven-day hunts on the same dates as the bull hunt. “The department was not able to devise any other reasonable way of accommodating the increased archery permits in these two units,” Supplee explained. Another change this year is adding “limited hunt” areas that are designed to significantly reduce or keep elk numbers at low levels in specific areas, such as elk wintering grounds. Supplee explained that in many elk wintering areas, “resident” elk have become established that reside in those areas year round. The intent is to reduce or eliminate those resident elk to keep the elk wintering areas in the best shape possible to sustain the larger elk population, especially if Arizona experiences a severe winter. There are also some areas, such as the Kaibab Plateau, where having elk either conflicts with other management priorities, or where elk are not deemed appropriate. “Many of these ‘limited hunt’ opportunities will be challenging, with low hunt success ratios expected. They will not be our typical ‘quality’ hunt opportunities,” Supplee pointed out. The “limited hunt” areas will be in a separate “box” in the commission orders (and printed regulation booklets) to assist hunters in identifying these more “challenging” elk hunts. Elk hunts within the “limited hunt” category have been exempted from the weapon allocation formula. The intent of the limited hunts is to reduce elk numbers. Partitioning these hunts among primitive weapon and junior hunts would probably prove less effective at meeting biological objectives than standard rifle hunts. Deer Arizona’s deer numbers are hopefully at the bottom of the population curve due to prolonged drought and once again this year, a record low number of deer permits is being recommended by biologists. Game and Fish biologists are recommending 47,190 deer permits for 2001, which is a reduction of 805 from last year. For the second consecutive year, most reductions are in southeastern, central and northeastern Arizona. However, permit increases are being recommended in parts of northwestern Arizona, where climatic conditions have been more favorable to deer fawn survival and where buck-to-doe ratios are responding to conservative harvest strategies. Those permit numbers would be even lower were it not for a 1,000-permit juniors-only antlerless hunt and a 1,000-permit general antlerless hunt proposed for Unit 12A West on the Kaibab. Big Game Supervisor Brian Wakeling explained that the west side winter range browse continues to recover very slowly from wildfires that reduced deer habitat capacity by nearly 50 percent. “Areas that have been severely burned are still experiencing loss of young plants. Even areas within winter range that were not burned are showing substantial evidence of forage overuse. It is important to manage for conservative deer browse levels during this period of plant recovery,” Wakeling said. The fawn crop in that area has shown significant reductions in the past few years. The weights of yearling bucks have also been declining, which indicates a poor deer herd condition. “The recommended permit numbers will more significantly reduce the overall deer population in Unit 12A West. In light of severe browse loss in certain areas of the winter range, the department considers this action prudent,” Wakeling explained. Fall Hunt Applicants On Your Mark, Get Set . . . Big game hunt applicants, on your mark, get set . . . Once the Arizona Game and Fish Commission drops the gavel on April 21 approving the fall big game hunt package, you can start applying as soon as you have the pertinent information available to put on the application form. Department officials anticipate having the 2001 Hunting Regulations available on the Arizona Game and Fish Internet Home Page at www.azgfd.com by late in the afternoon of April 25, barring any technical difficulties. The application forms are also available on the department’s Internet site. “This year, you can even buy your license through our Internet Home Page. But keep in mind that the temporary license number you receive cannot be used on the big game application form. You do have to wait until you have your license in hand,” said Information Branch Chief Joe Janisch. Although officials anticipate posting the 2001 hunt regulations on the Internet April 25, it takes time to print and distribute almost a half-million copies. The department is planning to send the printed regulations to the various license dealers on May 18. Janisch explained that the department is always looking at ways to shorten the time from adoption by the commission to hitting the streets with the printed version of the regulations. “We would like to shorten the time even more, but unfortunately, it is a process that logistically just takes time. We even have to build in just a little fudge factor for the unexpected technical or physical delays. For instance, one year the truck transporting the regulations from the printer got stuck under a highway overpass,” Janisch said. Applicants should also keep in mind that if they apply prior to June 1 and make a mistake on their application, they will be given the opportunity to correct the error (if they can be contacted). After June 1, mistakes can result in applications being rejected. “With record elk permits available, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Get your applications in early,” advised Janisch. The hunt application deadline this year is Tuesday, June 12 at 7 p.m. Postmarks don’t county. “If you wait until the last minute to apply, hand-deliver your application to any of the seven Game and Fish offices. On deadline day, we will even have people on hand to look over you application and check it for errors,” Janisch said.

Uploaded: 4/24/2001